The original Canadian Red Ensign had the arms of the four founding provinces on its shield. However, in the late 19th and early 20th century, flag manufacturers would often supplement this design with laurel wreaths and crowns. The design was frequently placed on a white square or circle in the flag's fly (right hand side assuming the flagpole to be on the left). There was no standard design for the Red Ensign until the early 1920s. In 1921, the Government of Canada asked King George V to order a new coat of arms for Canada.  Read more HERE

• January 26, 1924 - Symbol - Parliament approves the 1921 version of the Red Ensign as Canada's official flag for government buildings at home and abroad; until the Maple Leaf is adopted; Order-in-Council mandates its use on Canadian government buildings outside Canada; first officially allowed use of the ensign, although the older version, with the arms of the four founding provinces, has been used unofficially for many years. Ottawa, Ontario